Reinforced lightweight casing structure for luggage



P 21, 1954 l. s. DIAMOND 2,689,632

REINFORCED LIGHTWEIGHT CASING STRUCTURE FOR LUGGAGE Filed Feb. 18, 1952 5O INVENTOR I! H I IRVING s. DIAMOND v ATTORN Y Patented Sept. 21, 1954 REINFORCED LIGHTWEIGHT CASING STRUCTURE FOR LUGGAGE Irving S. Diamond, New York, N. Y.

Application February 18, 1952, Serial No. 272,022

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the construction of what is referred to as lightweight or airplane luggage, wherein a box-like casing of lightweight construction, such, for example, as a balsa casing is used. More particularly, the invention deals with means for reinforcing lightweight casings of the kind under consideration, so as to give strength and rigidity'to the casing and to enable the casing to withstand stresses and strains to which the same is subjected in use and handling thereof.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the casing of a piece of luggage, with part of the construction broken away and illustrating my improved reinforcement therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view partially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an assembled frame unit as used in reinforcing the cover portion of a casing.

Fig. 4 is a face view of one end portion of a strip, from which the reinforcements or reinforcing frames are formed; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a modified form of construction.

In luggage of the type and kind under consideration, the same is subjected to abusive handlings, particularly in packing and storing the luggage in airplanes and such handling has resulted in quick breakdowns of luggage of the kind under consideration. The purpose of my invention is to construct a light piece of luggage and provide a lightweight and, yet, strong and durable reinforcements at all corner portions of the resulting luggage, so as to enable the same to withstand the rough handling to which luggage of the type and kind under consideration is subjected, thus producing longer use life of luggage of this kind.

In the accompanying drawing, no attempt has been made to show the finished facings, linings, etc. of the luggage but, instead, the skeleton casing of the luggage is illustrated together with my improved means of reinforcing such casing construction.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown, in perspective, the main box or compartment part II] of a luggage casing and at I I the cover part. These parts will be constructed of sheets and strips of wood or other lightweight material, glued or otherwise secured together and, at I2 and I3, note Fig. 2, I have shown parts of what may be termed reinforcing cover frames for reinforcing the casing Ill and cover I I.

The reinforcing frames I2 and I3 can be produced as preassembled units, for example, the cover frame unit I3 shown in Fig. 3 or be produced simply from a series of strips cut into predetermined lengths and adhesively secured to the inner surfaces of the parts I0 and I I, so that, when they are secured into position, resulting corner frames, such as I2 and I3, will result.

Considering Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will clearly appear that the frame I2 will comprise two long strips extending along the long corner portions I4 and I5 of the casing part III and part of one of these long strips is indicated at I6 extending along the corner I4. At this time, it may be well to state that all of the strips employed are of the same general cross-sectional form or, in other words, are L-shaped or of angle iron cross-sectional form, thus .disposing one side of the strip on one wall and the other side of the strip on a wall extending at right angles to the first wall. All of the strips have bevelled ends, as for example, the end I'I, noted in Fig. 4 of the drawing, in which figure a face view of the strip I6, for example, is shown. The bevels II are at 45 so that all of the strips employed will mesh where they intersect.

Returning now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown at I8 a part of one of the strips used in forming one of the narrow side corners, the corner I9 of the part III, the opposed corner Zfil having a similar strip. Extending upwardly over each of the vertical corners of the casing part It are riser strips 2I, part of one of which is indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. One of the strips 2| is shown in section in Fig. 2 of the drawing and it will be noted that the upper edge of the strip 2| is flush with the upper edge 22 of the casing part III and will, thus, abut the depending strip 23 of the frame I3.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have shown a preassembled frame designated by the reference character I3 and, in this figure, the depending corner portions 23' would be equivalent to the corner strips 23, as shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 2, I have shown at 24 one of the long strips of the reinforcing frame of the cover II, that is to say, the strip extending along the front corner 25 of Fig. 1. A complete frame construction will prevail in the cover II but, as this frame is not otherwise shown in Fig. 1, reference will be made to Fig. 3, which shows an equivalent frame, but in a preassembled form. In other words, in Fig. 3, 24 would represent a strip, similar to the strip 24, 25 the opposing side strip, and at 26' and 2'! I have shown the narrow end strips. The bevelled ends of all of the strips, as seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing, will abut and will be weldedor otherwise secured together in forming the resulting frame and this frame, as assembled, can then be placed in a cover part, similar to the cover H, and cemented in position by the use of a suitable adhesive .or cement. .A rubber cement can be used for this purpose. n the other hand, in forming the reinforcing frames, the separate strips cut to the desired length can be directly cemented in the case or casing parts II] and II and, when so cemented in position, a resulting reinforcing frame =willlbe provided.

' It will :be understoodzthat the frame of the casing part I 0 canalso-be constructed in the manner of the frame 26 of Fig. 3 or formed byindivicluallycementing :the respective strips .of the frame in position. At the lower :portion of Fig. 2 of the drawing, I have indicated, at 16, .a side strip, similar to the strip 16. In other words, the .unit frame of the casing Hi would be identical to that shown .in Fig. 3, except for the length of the raised corner portions, one of which is illustrated at 21 in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

In constructing the case parts, preparatory to the applicationof thefinishings and linings there,- for, n an l iron frame 28 O n ed tab 1.1- struction will be secured to the inner surface of the case pa t 1. so as o ro ide a raised 2 nular flange port on a at 28 to l te and nos tion the cover l l .on the case part iii, .as in other lu a o s typ and k nd- Th fib l .6 159 serves to reinforce the juncturebetween .theparts L0 and II, as will be apparent.

In Fig. of the drawing, I have .shown .a slight modifica on. w ein it bl ld- 9 th 3.0 can :be ut ized at th abuttin ed es two ip Q We l-a fel E s me? pe ea $9 as t ound o fi let. th corne o ign t e manner ramm tica y l u t ted? hi e nt -uction wil be tilized w n he t i s a individually cementedto the case parts andserve noa e r nysli h irr ulari that ma -exist t e abu ment of the ri s nd. r; t strengthen and bind abutting edges of thestrips.

It will be understogd that the strips employed or t ames rodu ed y d s r ps n b composed of thin lightweight material of any type and kind such, for example, as metal, plastic or fibre strips and these strips are preferably of thin walled construction so as to maintain the a maximum capacity in the resulting luggage or case for storage of clothing or other articles therein. Further, this construction materially reduces the overall weight of the resulting lugg -Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In luggage of the character described, employing two casing parts, each part being defined by side, top, bottom and end walls joined in corner -portions,'means for reinforcing inner surfaces ;of .the corner portions of said parts, said means comprising a plurality of thin independent strips of angular cross-sectional form throughout their length and extending along and adhesively secured :to .corners of said walls, and said fiiirips having .eornmon bevelled ends intersecting rand abutting at corner portions of the casing parts.

.2. In luggage of the character -,described, e nploying two case parts .rhavin corne def n d by .aneularly d sposed wa ls of he ease r. art means arranged on -iinner surfaces of the case parts at said corner for einfo c ng h case parts, said m a s compr s n thin wai inde ndnt strips havin rangu arl dis osed sid s e franged upon and adhesively secured to the angul y d sposed wa ls of he case ar a sa corners, end porti n o said tri having a u i u ar ed s pre ermined strips e t 0 me to a d me f ush 1th ad ac nt ed h c se pa ts an m an new? d to one-case pa for al nin the the ca .part th re n- References .Cited .in the file ofxthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 110,552 Daggett Dec. 27, 1870 845,145 Teese Feb. '26, 190? 1,119,133 -Wheary Decal, 179-14 1,189,390 Schroeder July *4, 1916 1,468,816 Johnson Sept. 25, "1923 1,636,412 Gallowitz July 192'? 1,804,494 Brown May 12, 19-31 FOREIGN g N-rs Number Country Date 11,948 Netherlands Apr. :15, 1924 901,362 France Nov. 16, 1944 

